Implement for pulling nails, fence-wires, &amp;c.



J. B. SMITH. IMPLEMENT FOR PULLING NAILS, FENCE WIRES, &c.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I8. 1914.

Patented June 15, 1915.

Attorneys a preferred embodiment in the all are rarnr rrion JAY B. SMITH, OF G-IRARD, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOB 0F ONE-HALF TO JOHN L. BET'IS, O1? V IVIUSCOGEE COUNTY, GEORGIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 15, 1915.

Application filedMay 18, 1914. Serial No. 839,386.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAY B. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Girard, in the county of Russell and State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful Implement for Pulling Nails, FenceWires, &c., of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to an improved implement or tool for pulling nails, spikes, staples or thelike, for stretching thestrands of a wire fence or the like, for ripping up or loosening flooring boards, planks and the like, for moving trucks in the manner of a pinch bar, and for kindred other purposes.

The invention has been illustrated in its accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view ofthe improved implement with the gripping and fulcrum members separated, a portion of the handle or lever being broken away; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the implement, showing the handle moved to bring the gripping and fulcrum members together. Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;,

' In carrying out the present invention, there is provided a handle or lever 1, of any suitable construction, and which is provided at its lower end with an angularly-extending wedge-like portion 2 having its sides diverging downwardly, as will be clearly obvious by reference to the drawing. The wedge 2 is preferably somewhat circular in outline, and is provided with a central transverse bore or opening 4 through which a transverse bolt or pivot member 5 is journaled. The implement also includes a pair of complementary or companion shoes 6, constructed of suitable metal, and having their bottoms or treads straight or flat. The shoes 6, which provide the gripping and fulcrum members, are provided intermediate their ends and flush with or adjacent their outer sides, with upstanding at the sides of-the wedge 2.

The wedge 2 is pivoted or fulcrumed between the shoes 6, the end portions 8 of the bolt or fulcrum member 5 being preferably non-circular in cross section and engaging loosely through non-circular apertures or openings 9 provided in the ears 7 of the shoes, whereby the shoes will oscillate with the fulcrum member 5 and in unison, while the lower end of the handle or lever 1 is fuls ears 7 disposed crumed or pivoted upon the member 5 between the shoes. The head 5 of the bolt 5 seats against the outer side or face of one ear 7, while knurled nut 10 is threaded upon the tip of the bolt 5 and seats against the outer side or face of the other ear 7 to maintain the shoes 6 in place. Attention is directed to the fact that they are constrained against oscillation or rotation upon the bolt 5, may slide longitudinally upon the bolt 5 whereby when the nut 1.0 is tightened and loosened, the shoes may be drawn together snugly against the sides of the wedge 2, or may be permitted to separate, for the purpose which will hereinafter appear.

'In order to effectively fulcrum the handle or lever 1 between the shoes, and reduce the shearing strain upon the bolt 5 to a mini mum, the sides of the wedge are provided withbosses 3 surrounding the opening 4, and fitting within depressions or sockets 11 formedin the inner. sides or faces of the shoes 6 and their ears 7.

The front-ends of the shoes 6 are provided with forwardly projecting toes or claws 12, which are flush with the bottoms or treads of the shoes, and which are relatively thin. The adjacent edges of the toes or claws 12 are beveled downwardly, as at 18,'to provide the upper jaw or gripping edges 14 along the adjacent portions of the claws 12.

The rear ends of the shoes 6 are provided with rearwardly projecting and upturned heel portions 15, which serve as fulcrums for the shoes, and which provide curved seats 16 for stops 17 provided upon the sides of the wedge 2 above the ears 7 of the shoes 6. The stops 17 are engageable with the seats 16 when the handle or lever 1 is swung rearwardly and downwardly.

The wedge 2 is so arranged between the ears 7 of the shoes 6, that when the handle or lever 1 is swung approximately perpendicular with the shoes 6, or to an upstanding position when the shoes 6 are horizontal, the thickest portion of the wedge 2 will be moved in advanceof the fulcrum member or bolt 5 between the forward portions of the ears 7, and consequently, the jaws or claws seen in Fig. 1. Conversely, when the handle or lever 1 is swung rearwardly and downwardly, the thickest portion of the wedge 2 the shoes 6, although 12 will be spread apart or opened, as

is arranged to swing between the rear portions of the ears 7, to thereby swing the heel portions 15 of the shoes apart, and tocorrespondingly swing the claws or jaws 12 together, as seen in Fig. 2. It will thus be apparent that when the handle or lever l is swung rearwardly and downwardly to bring the stops 17 into engagement with the heel portions 15, the claws or'j aws 12 will be swung toward each other into gripping relation, and the shoe will then be swung upon the upwardly curved heel portions 15 as fulcrums. It is to be noted that the wedge 2 extends angularly forward from the lower end of the handle 1, and that the wedge is provided with a curved edge projecting between the treads of the shoes, as seen in Fig. 3, the shoe treads being disposed tangentially relative to the said curved edge of the wedge. Thus when the lever or handle 1 is swung rearwardly, to bring the stops or lugs 17 into engagement with the heel portions 15 of the shoes, the curved edge of the wedge 2 will ride upon the surface, and the rear portion of the wedge will provide a fulcrum cooperating with the fulcrums provided by the heel portions 15, in order that the shoes may be swung efiectively. This will reduce the shearing strain upon the lugs or stops 1?, and will also assist materially in swinging the shoes for extracting the nail, or the like.

The present implement or tool may be employed for a variety of purposes, such as, an extractor for nails, spikes, drift bolts, staples, and the like, or a stretcher for fence wires, or a wrecking bar for prying up floor: ing boards, planks or the like, or a pinch bar for moving a, truck or the like.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is v An implement comprising a pair of shoes having flat treads, cooperating relatively thin gripping toes at their front ends, up-

standing ears intermediate their ends, andupwardly curved heel portions at their rear ends; a pivot member engaged through the said ears; and ahandle having a wedge extending angularly' forward from its lower end and fulcrumed upon the said pivot memher between and bearing against the said ears, the lever having a pair of side lugs above the said ears to seat agalnst the heel portions when the lever is swung rear wardly, and the wedge having a curved edge projecting between the treads of the shoes and forming a fulcrum arranged to ride upon the surface against which the treads of the-shoes rest, when the lever is swungto bring the said lugs into engagement with the heel portions of theshoes. v In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAY-B. SMITH.

\Vitnesses:

ROY C. SASSER, ,MARCUS A. 000K.

' copies'of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 7

r Washington, D. G," 

